Broken, page 11
part #4 of House Arturo Series
Arturo dropped into a fighting stance wondering how he was going to be able to cover both sides with this woman next to him. The two either side of them, came at them within a split second. And screamed as they hit what he guessed was Regin’s barrier. Well dam. Arturo watched as in their surprise they stopped and looked about. Regin was already in motion, lifting two globes and threw them. “Don’t let her hit you.” Jazel cried out too late. Hitting her targets in the face. “Surprise!” She called out. Both looked at her confused. Then started screaming again. Clawing at their faces and necks and ripping open their clothes making it worse as the powder seemed to burn them. Arturo watched as they became frantic trying to rid themselves of it as they continued to burn. They staggered back and dropped to the floor. Ashing in seconds. At the same time, Arturo caught the movement near him and punched the first assailant on his side of the barrier, sending him flying along with his screaming as he too had hit the barrier. The second attacker had stopped as he witnessed what had happened to his companions, he regained his composure and wisely stepped back slowly.
Arturo looked at Jazel. “My ward has bite.” He told him with a smile. Jazel screamed. “She is mine. Take them now.” The four that were left rushed them. They each hit the barrier at the same time. They cried out at the impact but had learnt from the previous four. They leaned over it and tried to swipe them with their claws. Arturo dodged one and struck one with the back of his hand sending him flying. Arturo saw Regin face off with the two coming at her. As they reached forward towards her, she called out “Boo”, held up her hands and ejected a cloud of powder from her wrists. Both men breathed it in, a reflex action, they didn’t need to breath. It was a human response. Arturo guessed the brain remembered the memory reflex. It was automatic. And in this case, it seemed to be deadly. Both started to combust from the inside out and they both fell away from her.
The two downed from Arturo looked at Jazel. The third who had initially attacked Arturo and had stepped back turned and looked confused at Jazel. Arturo wasn’t surprised to see Jazel appear to be teetering on the edge of madness. “I will have her.” He screamed. In a desperate bid to do as his master told them, the male who had backed off Arturo threw himself across the circle to break it, burning himself in the process from the outside inwards, it was slow and would be painful. His screaming filling the night. Arturo wondered how that couldn’t be heard by humans. The two downed men came at them again. Using the bridge given to them by the disintegrating body of their colleague on top of it. Arturo fought one off viciously. Cutting into him. Hobbling him before taking his head.
At the same time Regin’s assailant went to grab her and let go quickly as he started screaming. His hands burning. “Haven’t you heard. Never touch a lady unless she asks you to.” Regin told him. He backed away and tried to go around her. Arturo saw Regin lift another globe. “Do I really need to use this?” She asked her attacker. Jazel’s scream could be heard across the park as his man lost his head by Arturo’s hand. That left one. Arturo was relieved to see Regin keeping her gazed on her opponent. He knew the minute the male was going to try again. And so it seemed did Regin. Arturo watched her lift her other hand, at such close quarters she couldn’t miss. She fired. Her assailant looked up at her in shock. But smiling that he was still whole and not smoking. He took a step forward. He’s grin suddenly dropped. Arturo watched Regin study him. The male took a step forward again towards her and Arturo moved to intercede. “No.” She called out to him as he came to stand beside her. “He’s done, don’t touch him.” Arturo looked on as fire suddenly engulfed the male before her.
For the first-time Regin address Jazel. She turned to face him. “Why do you persist. It always ends this way. How many times do we have to do this?” Jazel crouched and gave a raw cry. “You are mine Reginleif.” He told her screaming. Regin shook her head. “I was never yours and never will be.” It was clear to Arturo that she knew him. And not in a good way. “Leave while you can Jazel.” Arturo told him with menace. “Your time is over Arturo. What you have will be mine.” He screamed at him. With one last glare, Jazel turned and disappeared into the night. Regin felt him leave. He’d lick his wounds and be back but not today. She sighed.
Arturo turned and looked at his human. She awed him. She fought like a warrior. Had skills. Unusual ones but skills none the less. She would not allow herself to be a victim. He liked that. He looked at the ash around them. And back at Regin. She was stunning. And it had nothing to do with how she looked. She was a wonder to him. An enigma. Something was different about this one. She pulled him in and he desperately wanted to go. The adrenalin from the fight riding his emotions looking for release. It suddenly hit him. He wanted this woman. Wanted to slack his need with her. Wanted her to feel how it would be with him deep inside her. Arturo shook his head. What was wrong with him? He had better control than this. No human pulled him in like this. It just did not happen any longer. No. He would not allow these emotions to compromise him or take advantage of her. That would not be right. This was turning out to be far more than a planned welcome reprieve from the everyday. A break checking out his latest venture.
“Well.” Regin said breaking into his revelry. “That was more than I had intended this evening.” Arturo looked at her and laughed. She laughed too. “Women. You are a wonder. But you are going to get yourself killed. So tell me. What did you use.” He indicated the floor around them and her. He watched Regin carefully put the globes she hadn’t used, in wrapping and back into her bag. She took out two canisters and refilled her wrist holders. The gun she kept in her pocket. “The powder on the floor is a combination of Chlorine, Salt, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Carbon, Magnesium and Oxide and some other ingredients. It creates the barrier once its charged and the circle complete. If you are Vamp and outside it, it stops you entering and burns you. It tends to be a nice surprise when they touch it. Stay long enough and it will burn them out. Most don’t though. They hit the barrier are in intense pain and back off quick. The shock of hitting it is usually enough time for me to go in for the kill. These,” Regin lifted one of the globes. “Are fragile and an airborne mixture of concentrated silver nitrate, nitric acid and salt. If it hits you and you are Vamp. The coating will break and cover you in the powder. It is light and it burns like hell. Once it gets onto the skin there’s no getting it off. It sticks. Once it’s in the skin your gone. This,” Regin lifted her gun, “is a soap mixture of naphthenic and aliphatic carboxylic acids a combustible accelerant, concentrated liquid silver nitrate with mercury and a dash of powdered blessed oak. All very effective. None harmful in this state to humans. Well nearly non harmful to humans.” Arturo nodded. “And what did you put over yourself?” Regin smiled. “Charged blessed ground silver and blessed powered oak. If that fails, I’ve a shock or two I can use.”
Arturo stared at this Regin. “That’s some arsenal.” Regin shrugged at him. “Please stand back so I can remove some of this.” Arturo moved several paces back outside of the circle and watched as she brushed off as much of the powder as she could shaking it out her hair and off her clothes and arms. He watched her take off her jacket and shake it. “It works. For now.” “And if it doesn’t work?” Arturo couldn’t help but look worried as he watched her put her jacket back on. “Then we start blowing shit up.” She told him calmly. Arturo just stared at her. “Do I want to ask?” Regin smiled. “I’d leave it as a surprise.” She told him and winked. Arturo was lost for words. He stared at her. He could not think of a name to describe what she’d told him. Moving to safer ground he asked her. “You have an unusual name. Reginleif.” Regin smiled as she closed her bag. “Yes, it annoyed the hell out of me as a child and I shorted it real quick. Dad thought it was appropriate.” Regin checked her watched. “Dam it I’m late again. This was real. I don’t get to meet many in this situation, well actually you’re the first of your kind, usually it’s just me and someone I have to burn. So this was fun. Sorry got to dash. I’m meant to be meeting some friends and got caught up in this. It was real nice meeting you. I’d say let’s do it again but I’d rather not if you know what I mean.”
Regin felt the need to touch him and held out her hand. “Thanks for the help Arturo, loving the name by the way. I didn’t need it you know. Take care now.” Arturo took her hand when she offered it and appeared to listen to her rambling. He grasped her hand tighter. She felt the tingling in the contact. She didn’t know why she felt drawn to this male but she did. She wanted to hold onto him but that wouldn’t happen. Regin withdrew her hand reluctantly. The was a complication she didn’t need. This male was something else. She’d be the one burned if she wasn’t careful. Regin turned and headed back the way she’d came. As she hit the path she couldn’t stop herself from turning around and waving. Arturo still stood in the place she’d left him and waved back. Regin smiled. That looked too cute. Picking up where she’d left the trail she headed towards Wild Bills. Her friends were gonna be pissed she was late again…..
Continued in Arturo ….. Book one ….. House Arturo …..On sale now
Jessie Rose Case, Broken
